TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18263, 23 December 1924, Page 15

TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT.

DANISH PROFESSOR'S GOLD CURE. BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S TEST. (fSOSt OUS. OTK COEMSrOJTDEST.) LONDON, November 4. Gold for tho treatment of tuberculosis has already been employed, but so far without beneficial results, bw, however, there comes a statement from Copenhagen that astounding t-ures aro claimed in the eases of! 300 consumptive patients in six Danish hospitals who have been treated with sauocrysin. a new gold solution, and a, serum invented by Professor Moellgaard, Ihn physiologist, for the destruction of tho tubercle bacilli. Professor Moellgaard, in a lacturo delivered at the State Hospital, Copcn-Iw-tin, stated sanoeryan originated* like other go!<] treatments, from tho diacovc-rv made by Koch, tho famous Germau' scientist, that salts ot gold poisoned tubercle bacilli. It is clainicd, however, that sanocrysin. is the only gold treatment yet found that has acj tually killed tubercle bacilli in tho : human body. ' It is an inorganic, compound whicu I contains gold, but does not act as a metallic salt, thus preventing metal I poisoning of the humun tissue even if I largo doses are administered. Sanocrysin cau be injected into tho patient's veins or muscles, and remains active from four to six days after injection. When the tubercle bacilli begin to decompose, they release poisonous substances which penetrate the human tissues. It follows, therefore, that even if they are killed the patient may die from tho effect of theso poisons. Treatment to Cost £5. In order to prevent this danger, the injections of sanocrysm aro aceomr parijed by the injection of a serum designed to avert, the effect of tho dead tubercle poisons. This is tlio chief feature of the new treatment. It is stated in Copenhagen that the Britisli Government have been making enquiries with regard to obtaining supplies of sanocrysin. At tho present time i' is intended to limit the sale of it to hospitals and institutions. Tho j cure consists as a rule of six or seven injections of the gold solution and the I same number of the serum. Tho apI proximate cost of the treatment would j be about £5 for each case. | Dr. Seeker, heaa of the Bispebjerg I Hospital, which v internationally rccog- | nisod as the model hospital for consumptives, makes a statement to the effect that sanocrysiu is of value in early cases, many of which have been cured in a short while. Even old chronic cases that have rcj sisted all other treatment have shown satisfactory results providod a sufficient quantity of healthy tissue was still functioning aJid the patients were not too exhausted to react to the method of cure. Many cases of severe or acute I tuberculosis, which would in the ordi- ' nary course of events have proved fatal, I have shown improvement under the new j treatment. j It is reported that the British ! Ministry of Health, in conjunction with ! the Medical Research Council, an j taking steps to test the value of sanocrysin. j Health Propaganda. i The Bcrmondsey Borough Council j have decided to erect a municipal | solarium us one of the racj'.snsi'.s in their j campaign for the prcvcnUca oc t über- ' culosis. In a Tcport printed by tho i Borough ifedica! OfSrer .:t He ".'Jib (Dr. ' K. King Brown) it is bUt:.;i thai the j solarium would i-'jns;<»t of a wooden i shed with a verandah u'ji! a concrete slope in front wfck'li coa>s L.> ur.c-J for exposing patients to tho free.!' air when this is available. It is aico proposed to erect .sijucu am lamp.-., which could be used for artificial sunlight treatment when natural sunlight

is not available. The remainder of the ground, would be turfed and usod lor giving children physical exercises in tlio sun. Lessons iu elementary hygiene would bo imparted at the same time. la its health propaganda the Council lias, among other tilings, erected an electric. sign'in a public placo It shows twelve pictures, illuminated at night, and working from 7 n.ro. until 11 p.m. Thn fust series of picture* deals with teeth, and illustrates tho ovil effects following tho neglect of tli.r teeth. The illustrations nro aimplo and explain themselves, and to each picture is attached four lines of doggerel verse. The health propaganda schcmo ineludes leaflets, advertisements, lectures, fllnctric jigni, open-sir demonstratious, and the cslabiiybnieat of a central office of ialormatioa.